Today is the optional memorial of Saint John of God. I first heard of him through the Little Sisters of the Poorbecause the congregation has a big devotion to him. He had a great love of the poor and would do anything for them.

What I didn’t know until recently was that he had a rebellious and wild streak to him. In fact, he was so impulsive that he was deemed insane and committed to mental institution for a while!

His Early Life

St. John was born in Spain and his propensity for living on the wild side manifested itself when St. John was eight. According to Catholic.org, St. John heard a priest give a talk when he was 8 years old so he ran away from home so he could live an adventurous life traveling with the priest.

After a few years, St. John became sick and was adopted by the family who cared for him. However, as John got older, the wild streak kicked in again and he ran off to fight with the Spanish army against the French. While a soilder, he lived a life of drinking, gambling and of sin.

Sometime after quitting the army, St. John turned his life to God. However, different accounts assert different stories as to when and how he converted. Some say it was while working as a shepherd, and others say he converted when he heard the preaching of St. John of Avila.

Living for God and the Poor

St. John’s impulsiveness did not disappear after his conversion. I think it actually grew worse! Apparently, after hearing a sermon from St. John of Avila, St. John went running through the streets crying, pulling his hair out, and ripping his clothes. Because of his strange behavior, he was forced into a mental institution for a time.

He also had such a love for God and for the poor that he would do anything for them. He would beg for food, clothes and other items to give to the poor. Catholic.org tells the story how St. John grabbed a bowl of food to give to some starving people he came across and almost got arrested, ran into a burning building (the very hospital he spent time in) to rescue the patients, and jumped into a flood to save a drowning man – which became the cause of his death. St. John of God died, while kneeling before the Crucifix, on March 8, 1550 due to complications related to a sickness he caught after saving the man.

What Can We Learn From St. John?

At first glance, the life of St. John of God seems nice but bears no relevance for our lives. Not true, that. First, we can learn what it means to love God. Like all the Saints, St. John committed his whole self to God and was willing to do anything for Him even if it meant ridicule, rejection or misunderstanding. How about us? Are we willing to do anything for God even if it means being misunderstood or accepted by others? Living a life for God today is a real challenge. Society is so backward in so many ways and if someone shows a commitment to God they are almost instantly labeled a fanatic or weirdo. Am I willing to be a weirdo for God?

Secondly, even though St. John was sometimes too impulsive he acted on what he believed were inspirations of the Holy Spirit. How many times have I heard the whisperings of the Holy Spirit to help someone in need or to offer encouragement or a kind word to someone going through a difficult time but failed to follow through? Too many times than I would want to admit, for sure. We can imitate St. John by opening our hearts to the Holy Spirit and his promptings. And even more importantly, we can imitate him by acting on those promptings.

I can’t believe that as of today (Thursday) Michael and I have been married ten years. The time has just flown by! There have been a lot of ups and downs over the past ten years but I have always been thankful that God has put him in my life and called us to marriage. From the moment I saw him I knew he was “the one” and I still know it. 🙂

In honor of our anniversary, I want to share this beautiful prayer that I found online (here and here).

“We thank you, O God, for the Love You have implanted in our hearts. May it always inspire us to be kind in our words, considerate of feeling, and concerned for each other’s needs and wishes. Help us to be understanding and forgiving of human weaknesses and failings. Increase our faith and trust in You and may Your Prudence guide our life and love. Bless our Marriage O God, with Peace and Happiness, and make our love fruitful for Your glory and our Joy both here and in eternity.” — Traditional Catholic prayer, author unknown

I pray not only for our marriage but for yours, too. May your marriage be strong and blessed in every way!

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P.S. I could not mention that today is also the feast of the Queenship of Mary. it is a beautiful feast day and to help you understand the meaning behind this feast I offer the following resources:

Traditionally in the Catholic Church, September is dedicated to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. The Seven Sorrows of Mary represent the suffering that Our Lady endured being the mother of Jesus.

It is a beautiful devotion; one that I just recently discovered. It must be one of those hidden devotions that aren’t practiced much any more. Too bad, too. It would be good for us to remember more often the sufferings Mary endured as the mother of the Savior.

The Seven Sorrows are:

1. The Prophecy of Simeon.
2. The Flight of Jesus, Mary and Joseph into Egypt.
3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple.
4. Mary meets Jesus on the way of the Cross.
5. Jesus dies on the Cross.
6. Mary receives the dead body of Jesus.
7. Jesus is placed in the tomb.